Rain on Me
by Sniffin' Glue
Summary: Sanosuke falls for a woman simply known as Amaya Sakura. SanoOC First fanfic, please RR. Be harsh if you must.
1. Night Rain and Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 1. Night Rain and Cherry Blossoms 

The sun sank behind the city, the cherry blossoms were in bloom. The evening had a nice, comfortable air. Perfect for a night of carousing.

Sanosuke walked into the gambling den, like any other night. He sat down at his regular table with the guys.

"Hey Jin! Ready to lose?" he smirked.

Jin rolled the dice, and produced a winning game for his side. This continued on through the night until Sanosuke decided to leave. _Not even a happy birthday.._ he scowled in his mind. He recalled the hectic day at the Kamiya dojo, wherein, no one had remembered his special day.

"You leaving so soon, Zanza? We haven't even begun!" Jin called as Sano headed for the door, hands in pockets.

"Yeah, I'm kinda tired...long day. Same time tomorrow night?"

Jin nodded and Sano left the den.

The air smelled of damp cherry blossoms as the rain began to fall, coating Sanosuke's shoulders, arms and back in a fine dew as he walked along the alleys and streets of Tokyo on his way home. After walking a while, he arrived at his humble abode and in a state of slight intoxication, fumbled the door open. Once inside, he pulled his dampened "bad" jacket off of his broad shoulders and tossed it in the far corner of the room. He then carelessly flung himself down on his tatami. "man...I need a woman." he mumbled silently and rolled over. He closed his eyes and barely dropped off to sleep when he heard a noise at his door.

_Tat tat tat._

"What?"

"Oi, Zanza! Open up!" the voice of Jin was heard inches outside the door, as well as other muffled laughs.

Sanosuke dragged himself out of bed, stumbled over something he'd left on the floor and slid the door open.

"This'd better be important or I'm gon-" he became lost in his thoughts as his eyes met the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

She was young. This was apparent. And Sanosuke, knowing very well what this was about, shook his head to rid himself of any thoughts he'd had about her within the few short moments he'd seen her. He looked cross at Jin and the other two who were with him. Then turned his attention toward the girl once more.

"Shit, how old are you, girl?"

"Old enough." she replied sweetly with a hint of bitterness at the last syllable. "They call me Amaya Sakura." she flashed a seductive grin, enough to melt the heart of any member of the male sex, young or old, and invited herself into his house.

"So which do you go by, then?" he inquired, his eyes nervously following her as she swayed by.

"Whichever you want me to go by." She winked and sat down at his table.

She wasn't a girl. Sanosuke soon realised she was a woman, aged seventeen he guessed, although she could have been petite for an older age. Jin and the others followed her into the house.

"What the hell are you thinking, Jin?" Sanosuke grabbed ahold of Jin's coat as he walked past and whispered hoarsely into his ear. "Bringing a kid in here? What do you take me for?"

"Happy birthday, Zanza!" Jin laughed nervously, as he realised his buddy didn't find that cheap sake and an under-aged harlot a proper birthday did not make. "Aw come on! Independants are cheaper anyway!" Anger welled up in Sano, but Jin was his friend, so instead of breaking his back in two, throwing his legs through the screen and chucking his upper half out through the back window, Sanosuke gave Jin a gentle shove. He sat between the woman known as Amaya Sakura and the ever generous, Hiroshi (who always had money and was probably the one responsible for bringing the little degenerate over.) Across from Amaya, sat Jin, smuggly and next to him was Eiji, who placidly sipped sake. Eiji usually made sure Jin didn't run his mouth, the voice of reason among the three.

There was much laughter among the men that night. Sanosuke seemed more interested in the girl's life story than what she had to offer him in the way of pleasures of the flesh. She was indeed a pretty girl-a very pretty woman. Her skin was smooth, no blemishes could be found. Her shoulders sloped under a red silk kimono which was wrapped with a white obi. It seemed to have a very slimming effect on the delicate girl. Her eyes were two dark, endless pools in which Sanosuke found himself constantly getting lost in. Her hair was a jet black cascade that rippled down her back as she unfastened her goddy, inexpensive ornament out of it. Her eyebrows had an aristocratic arch to them and her face lit up in the most delightful way when a smile came across her carefully painted lips. Although there was a peculiar air of loneliness about her.

"Well, Zanza, Sakura, I don't mean to cut the night short or anything," Jin chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "but I think we're gonna head out." He stood up and stumbled about trying to find the door. Once he made his way toward the thin screen, he fell forward and if it hadn't been for Eiji's quick, strong arms he would have torn right through it and found himself face down in the wet earth outside. Eiji gave Sanosuke a small smile and escorted his drunk friend out the door. Hiroshi followed with an envious expression directed toward Sanosuke, for he wished to be spending the evening with the young Amaya. He felt he parted with hard-earned yen for not, because he knew as well as the others that Sanosuke was too caring, too good to try anything with this girl. No wonder he'd never had a woman. Hiroshi smirked, slid the door shut and followed Eiji and Jin down the dark street.

"So...uh." Sanosuke attempted to make conversation with her. "What do you do when you're not, uhm. You know? When you're not..." he found himself lost in her gaze once more and was unable to speak. After a moment of awkward silence, Sano began to speak.

"So are we gonna..."

Sakura pursed her lips, stood up and began to unfasten her obi. "I mean, we don't have to!" he started.

She continued to undress until Sanosuke stood up and held his hand to hers. He looked again into her eyes. She looked at him with a small amount of disdain.

"Look, your friends paid me." she spat. "You think I want to do this?"

"Why do you do it if you don't want to?"

"I have to-" her bottom lip quivered in the most adorable fashion Sanosuke had ever seen as her eyes closed. "I have to take care of my son."

Sanosuke gently held her in his arms as she cried softly into his chest. "Sakura, you must go to your son. " He held her face in his large hand and looked upon her angelic beauty once more. Her eye make up began to bleed. "He must miss you." He smiled and wiped her makeup from her face with his thumb.

They walked down the street, Sanosuke entertained her with the story of his last fight. She had the most quiet, bright laugh in all of Japan. Sakura stopped in her tracks.

"There's someone following us." she whispered.

Sanosuke placed his hand on her shoulder and looked behind them. She was right.

"Here, stand over here." he instructed as he gently nudged her in the small, empty space between two buildings.

"Can't you see I've got company?" Sanosuke shot off impatiently as he turned toward the stalkers.

Four young men were silhouetted before the moon.

"Company or no, Zanza, we're kicking your ass for last time!" The tallest one shouted as he drew a wooden sword and charged toward Sanosuke. Amaya Sakura watched with great anxiety. She heard the stories of Zanza, the fighter-for-hire, but they seemed too unreal to her. She watched the man approach Sanosuke with agility and great speed and shut her eyes, waiting to hear Sano cry out in pain.

Sanosuke held up his left arm and overpowered the kid with ease. He turned around and the oncoming attacker's jaw was met by Sanosuke's foot and he fell to the ground. The other two looked on in shock and disbelief.

"Tell Katsuro he's gonna have to do better than send some scraggly little street rats after me!"

Sanosuke laughed as the other two ran away, one tripping over his own feet and the other yelling at him to hurry up.

Sanosuke walked over to Sakura, whose eyes were still shut and her clenched tight in her sleeves. He put his hand on her shoulder, startling her and causing her to jump.

"Do whatever you want! Just let me live!" she cried.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! No one's gonna kill you, Kitty!" Sanosuke laughed a little at what he had just nick-named his new acquaintance. She opened her eyes and blushed, she was rather embarrassed.

They continued on their way to Sakura's house, it was a long walk but they arrived soon before dawn. Sanosuke got to know her a lot in the little time they had become friends. She was 18 years old, her son, Kiyoshi, was born when she was 14 years old, and her name wasn't "Night Rain Cherry Blossom" at all. It was Junko, for she was a "pure child" at one time. She said she stopped calling herself Junko after her first client.

"..because I'm not pure." she looked to the ground and bade him goodnight. She slid the door shut and turned a lamp on. Sanosuke stood, in awe of her, outside her house. Moments later she would open the door to see if he was still there, for she would ask if he was cold, hungry, tired or just wanted to visit a little longer, but he was gone and the night rain had begun once more before the sun would start to shine over Tokyo.


	2. Driven to Tears

I don't own RK or any of its characters. Although I wish I did. 

Chapter 2- Driven to Tears

Sanosuke dragged himself to the Kamiya dojo. He was exhausted from the previous night of fighting, laughing, and walking, but in a very good mood. The sun was now high in the sky. It must have been a little before noon, he figured. Kenshin was hanging the laundry up. Sanosuke chuckled. _Wow, Jou-chan really has him whipped._ he thought.

"Oh, hello Sanosuke." Kenshin smiled. "You're up early, that you are."

Sanosuke yawned. "Hey Kenshin-"

"Yeah, but you're so UGLY no one would ever-"

"What did you call me?"

Yahiko's muffled voice could be heard from inside the dojo. Moments later he ran out the door laughing, Kaoru soon followed with her wooden sword, yelling as she ran. Yahiko stopped as he saw Sanosuke.

"Rough night, Sano?" He laughed. "You look like shit! Ow! What was that for?" He turned furiously to

Kaoru, who was standing behind him with an expression none too attractive.

"That was for calling me ugly!"

"Ugly! Haha!" Yahiko darted into the dojo.

Kaoru turned to Sanosuke and Kenshin.

"Hello, Sanosuke." she tried to be pleasant, but she knew that by the end of the day they would be yelling at each other.

"Hey, Missy." he yawned once more. "What's going on?"

"Nothing really, Megumi's supposed to be coming over pretty soon."

Megumi, his lady fox, his kitsune, how Sanosuke had forgotten her so quickly at the sight of little Junko. He yawned again and then stretched. "Oh really. You think I care?" He let out a chuckle.

"Well, I just thought you'd like to know, Rooster-head!"

"I didn't think you cared so much about me, tanooki!" He laughed, he wasn't about to let Kaoru spoil his good morning. "I'll see you guys later!" He began to whistle and headed down the lane into town.

"He seems very happy today, that he does!" Kenshin smiled as he flung a damp sheet over the clothing line.

"He's probably going to meet Megumi on her way over here." Kaoru smiled before letting out a micheivous little chuckle.

"Oro?"

"Uh-nothing. I should be getting back to Yahiko!" She laughed nervously and bounded back to the dojo.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a rubber ball bounced off the ground, landing in Kenshin's face.

"Uncle Ken! Uncle Ken! Play ball with us!" Ayame squealed.

"Play ball, Uncle Ken!" Suzume repeated.

"Oooro!"

A third voice was heard a moment later. "Oh Ken-san, I've arrived." It was the voice of Megumi.

"Oh hello, Miss Megumi. Its nice to see you, that it is."

Megumi flashed a devious grin as she saw Kaoru aproaching.

"Megumi? Didn't Sano meet you on your way over here?" Kaoru had a look of desperation in her bright blue eyes.

"What? Rooster-head? I haven't seen him since yesterday. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason." Kaoru bit her bottom lip and invited Megumi inside.

Meanwhile, Sanosuke walked down the alleys. For no reason in particular, or so he told himself. No, he wasn't looking for her. If he did chance to run into little Junko, what would he say to her? He thought about this for a while. "'Oh, hi Junko-er Amaya. How's the business going?' Wow." He thought, "I'd better not run into her then." He let out a sigh and stuffed his hands in his pockets and continued walking.

Down the street, he heard a little voice. It was a boy, a very young boy. "Mama! My rice, I dropped it on the ground!"

"Here, you can have mine." A sweet voice, smooth as silk echoed in reply.

"That's her!" he looked over in the direction the voices came from. He saw her, standing tall in a plain green kimono, her hair tied back in a simple braid. No makeup was painted on her face, no ornaments adorned her hair or neck, but she still put the sun to shame. Her son looked just like her. As Sanosuke paced toward the mother and son, he noticed more and more features about the boy that mirrored that of little Junko. He had her big, brown eyes and her delicate nose and jaw.

As Sanosuke got closer and closer, two men got to her first. He could tell her young son knew what this was about.

_Don't do it kitty..._ Sanosuke pleaded with her in his mind.

She took them a few feet away from Kiyoshi. Sanosuke could hear the words "crazy" and "with my son". The two men walked away, disappointed. As they past Sanosuke, one of them told him:

"She ain't doing anything tonight. Might as well not even ask her." And with that they were gone.

_Good girl, Junko._ Sanosuke congratulated her, in his mind, of course.

"Junko!" he greeted her with a smile. She bowed and introduced Kiyoshi to Sanosuke.

"Kiyo, I'd like you to meet one of my friends." she smiled sweetly at her son.

Kiyoshi looked at Sano and shook his head. "Don't make her leave tonight." he pleaded.

"You don't have to worry about it." Sanosuke bent down on one knee so he could see eye to eye with Kiyoshi. "She'll be home tonight." He gave the small boy a warm smile and stood up. He noticed Junko looking at the ground in shame.

"Are you gonna keep Matsushita away?" Kiyoshi asked Sanosuke innocently.

"Kiyoshi! That's enough!" Junko responded sharply to her son.

"Say, Junko, Kiyoshi. Would you like to get something to eat?" Sanosuke changed the subject so the boy wouldn't be scolded too badly by his mother. Kiyoshi's eyes lit up in delight.

"I would love to," Junko started "but I don't have the money for it."

"I could pay for it." Sanosuke persuaded her, although he knew he couldn't pay for any of them. He hoped he would be in Tae's good graces.

They made their way to the Akabeko. Sanosuke, carrying Kiyoshi on his back. He really fell for the young boy, just as quickly as he fell for his mother. _I wonder if we look like a family..._ Sanosuke thought as he placed the boy on the ground and smiled.

They entered the restaurant and took a seat. Tae, who was about to make a comment on the fact that Sano never paid for any of his meals, decided to say nothing. She waited on them with delight.

She enjoyed Kiyoshi very much. They had a great time, eating and visiting, though Junko seemed nervous, Sanosuke decided not to mention anything. Toward the end of their course, Tae left the table momentarily, and Sanosuke got up to "pay" her.

"Look, I know I never pay you, but-" he started.

"Its on the house." she smiled.

"Thank you!" Sanosuke turned toward the table.

"For them it is! You have to pay for yours though!" she laughed. Sano rolled his eyes.

"How much will I owe you, Sanosuke?" Junko asked pleasantly.

"Don't worry about, Kitty." he replied.

"I won't take anything if I can't pay it back, now how much do I owe you?" she continued, and took her purse out and began counting money. "Here. I hope this covers it." She put a few notes and coins on the table in front of Sanosuke. Of course it wasn't even enough for Kiyo's meal, let alone the both of them. Nevertheless he slipped it in his pocket and they were on their way.

"Would you like to meet some of my friends?" Sanosuke asked.

"I think I should be getting home soon." Junko was hesitant.

"But we're in the neighborhood. It would be nice to say hello since we're so close." he was persistant. He wanted her and Kiyoshi in his life.

"Well, fine. But not for too long." she relented. They walked along the lane to the familiar sight of the Kamiya dojo.

Sanosuke barged right in. "Hi! I want you all to meet someone!"

"Would it kill you to knock, Rooster-head?" Kaoru snapped. Sanosuke knocked on the wall in a fecitious manner.

"There, I knocked!" he escorted Junko and Kiyoshi into the room as Kaoru worringly surveyed the stranger's beauty. Kaoru was just getting the dishes ready for Kenshin to wash. Megumi was sitting there criticizing Kaoru for something she'd done. Yahiko's eyes were fixed on Junko and Kenshin could be heard in the other room.

"Oro!" The sound he produced made Junko chuckle. It was then that Megumi noticed another female in the room.

Junko bowed to Megumi and nodded to Yahiko. Kiyo did the same.

"This is my friend, Junko, and her son, Kiyoshi. We were nearby, so we decided to-" his words we cut short by Megumi's bitter voice.

"You decided to come here and ask to borrow money you know you can never pay back? Is that it, Rooster-head?" she barked from the table.

"Think what you want to think, Kitsune! I can get a job any time I want!"

"Oh and what would you do? Be some old man's little pet for ten minutes? And get paid for it?" she laughed her laugh that annoyed Sanosuke to no end. Junko pretended not to hear Megumi's words and began visiting with Yahiko. She was very attentive to the boy's nonsense.

"Will you teach me to fight with swords?" Kiyoshi asked Yahiko excitedly.

"Its a lot of hard work!" Yahiko warned the four-year-old.

"Please! I can do it!" Kiyo begged until Yahiko gave in. The boys went outside with Yahiko's sword.

"What may I call you?" Junko started.

"Megumi. My name's Megumi."

"Megumi-san, can I ask you not to use such language around my son?" Junko asked politely. "He really looks up to Sanosuke-sam-" she stopped herself. "Sanosuke-san."

"Sanosuke-sama!" Megumi shouted before bursting out in laughter. Junko remained respectful and kept her eyes to the floor as Megumi kept laughing. As her laughter died down, Junko excused herself and decided to be of use to Kenshin and Kaoru. Sanosuke bent down face to face with Megumi.

Sanosuke gave Megumi a scowl, in return he got a precotious grin from Megumi.

"Forgive me, I did not introduce myself properly." Junko said sweetly before taking a bow toward Kenshin and Kaoru. "My name is Junko. If I can be of service to you somehow, do not be hesitant to ask." She chose her words carefully, as not to give them any idea that their friend was consorting with-well, with a prostitute.

"I'm Kaoru, and this is Kenshin." Kaoru stuttered. She seemed threatened by the beautiful stranger.

" We'll let you know, that we will." Kenshin smiled at her. Junko looked at Kaoru.

"Do you need help with anything?"

"No, not right now, Junko. Thank you though." There was still a hint of unsettled fear in Kaoru's voice.

"Is there something, wrong? Kaoru?" she asked, and acted concerned.

"No. Nothing." Kaoru forced a smile and turned around and began scrubbing the dishes vigorously.

The day continued and Junko got to know everyone quite well. She took a liking to Kenshin, he seemed so patient with everyone. She tried to win Megumi over, but to no avail. She talked to Kaoru, but Junko still didn't know why Kaoru seemed so fearful of her presence. She figured she would give it some time, everybody needs time. She also figured that Yahiko would be a good role model for Kiyoshi, he needed to play with other children, although Yahiko was much older than Kiyo, hearing her son chattering away outside brought a smile to her lips. And she still had the same great respect for "Sanosuke-sama".

It was time for another meal, to Kiyoshi's delight.

_What a girl._ Sanosuke thought as he watched Junko politely choke down Kaoru's cooking.

"What's in this, Kaoru-san?" Junko inquired to break the awkward silence.

"You don't want to know!" laughed Yahiko.

"Amaya Sakura!" Megumi exclaimed. "Now I know where I've seen you before!"

Junko nervously placed her chopsticks down and cast her eyes to the floor.

"So how's the business, Sakura?" she laughed horribly.

"Megumi, that's enough." Kenshin said sternly, although she couldn't hear him over her own obnoxious laughter.

"Kiyoshi, come." she commanded as a tear ran silently down her face. She took her son by the hand and they made their way to the door.

"Bye Yahiko, I don't think we can play anymore." Kiyoshi told his new friend as he put his shoes on.

"Thank you Kaoru-san for the meal." She bowed and they were out the door.

Sanosuke stood up.

"Don't you ever EVER talk to her like that again!" Sanosuke growled.

"Why can't I? She's just a whore." Megumi replied in a matter-of-factly tone and crossed her arms.

"Don't call her that! Junko is the nicest, sweetest girl I've ever met."

"Anyone will be nice and sweet if you pay them." she scoffed.

"And what makes you so high and mighty all of a sudden? Who was selling opium? Who was-" Sanosuke shouted. Megumi stood up.

"Well at least I wasn't selling sex! At least I never sold my body!" she screeched, inches from his face.

"Will everyone just CALM THE FUCK DOWN?" Yahiko yelled.

"Yeah, because I've had enough of this! I'm leaving." Sanosuke made for the door.

"Fine! Nobody wants you here!" Megumi yelled from inside.

Sanosuke slammed the fragile door shut and was on his way after Junko and Kiyoshi.

"Well, now everything is as it should be." Megumi declared in a psuedo-peaceful voice.

"You can leave, too, Megumi." Kaoru told her.

"What?" Megumi seemed apalled.

"You heard me. Get out of my house. There's the door."

Megumi pouted, and walked out the door. She could see Sanosuke walking up ahead to catch up with Junko. Megumi decided she'd done enough damage, and took the other way to her house.

"Junko!" Sanosuke called out. She was carrying her son in her arms a few feet ahead of Sano. She turned around.

"Don't call me Junko." she snapped.

"Why? That's your name..." Sanosuke tried his best to comfort her.

"Because I'm not pure! I'm not pure!" she yelled hysterically. She put Kiyoshi down. "Do you think I can just sit there in front of people like that while they know I go out every night and sell myself so I can feed my son?"

"People like what?" Sanosuke seemed confused.

"They're good people! They don't need their house tainted with my-my impurity!" her voice began to rise. "I don't want to-"

"They're not any better than you! Or me!" Sanosuke interrupted her. "Megumi has no room to talk!" He took her in his arms beneath the moonlight. He felt how delicate, how fragile she was. He released her and took her hand in his for a moment and then let it fall to her side. He picked Kiyoshi up and they walked down the dark streets.

"Why are we stopping here?" Junko asked upon seeing the small house she was just at the night before.

"You're tired." Sanosuke replied quietly, for Kiyo had fallen asleep on his back. Sanosuke gently placed him on his tatami and covered him with his coat. The boy stirred, and made a noise, Sanosuke placed his hand on Kiyo's chest to calm him down.

"I wish you were my dad." Kiyo whispered in a daze. The remark brought an unshed tear to Sano's eye.

"Well, Kiyo. I'm going to take care of you and your mother from now on." he whispered back. "Now go to sleep. Goodnight."

"Junko, you can sleep here." Sanosuke pointed to the space on his tatami next to Kiyo.

"Where will you sleep?" she asked as she lay down.

"I'll be fine." he replied as he sat in the corner. "Goodnight, Kitty."

She smiled as she began to drift into sleep.


End file.
